COOKER MADE CHICKEN CORIANDER STEW

 I LIKE THIN CURRIES USING MINIMAL SPICES!

For that we need fresh, good quality meat & fish varieties. We get freshest of the sea fish varieties in this island. Growing up having fresh water fish, I find sea fish smelly. I could still eat pomfret cooked by the mother, mother-in-law with lots of onion, garlic; since my pregnancy I cannot tolerate the smell of pomfret, instead started to love the small & tiny fish varieties I looked down at once. Mixed vegetables cooked with tiny prawns or deep fried Mola or Amudi Mach / fish can satiate my fish cravings, I do not need fleshy varieties. The man cannot have meals only with smaller varieties of fish. We respect each other's choices. We have not forced upon each other our respective family's preferences. We have built our home taking the good things from both sides. I never tried to feed the son my choice of bony fishes like Baby Carps, I feared to. His generation want boneless, fleshy meat, fish on their plates. At some point, even a decade back I liked to have cheesy stuffs in the restaurant. I remember, on our tour of Australia, I did like baked Salmon, that was only in 2015. Today, I cannot have such a meal, I may just order French fries or fruit filled crepes, butter corn cups, veg wraps, fried chicken, end variety of breads with Tahini & humus. As I say, every restaurant, hotels can provide me boiled potato, butter, a green chilli, salt and rice; no worries, we need to pack our bags just. That would happen once our son gets settled in life. Have roti-sabzi on tours, not Maggi soups please, that's too unhealthy!

I WOULDN'T DISCLOSE WHERE I WENT THIS MORNING!

Not everything is to be made public, not many would have interest in minute details of your life. I went out for some work, once it was done, I had a mushroom soup with garlic bread. 

Intermittent Fasting is not happening at this time, I am requiring to eat a little something in the morning. I did not understand the garlic bread slices would be this thick, one was good enough for me. The moment I saw the cream of mushroom soup was not freshly made but cut and served from a big packet, I got disappointed. The payment was made, I had to have. My lunch was washed puffed rice and beaten rice with an amriti / jangiri! I had few pieces of chiku / shabeda / sapota thereafter, a much loved fruit! If I over eat a little bit, I am having severe stomach issues these days. They say we should never fill our stomach full, they are right. Life is tough for food reviewers, not an easy job, health is at risk. We shouldn't criticise. Age does not allow me to be sarcastic these days. If you do not bother me, I wouldn't. I am pretty much occupied with the thought of the son's future, his health, safety and security.

Below are semolina nagori, a puffed bread variety from the Delhi side of India may be. I have learnt about it recently. I wish to blog about it after practicing few more times, there are a couple of existing recipes in the internet. We had the specialised puffed breads with air-fried potato!

My entire body and mind is demanding sleep, I decided to write a blogpost instead. Let us proceed towards the closure of this post today!

WHAT IS  COOKER MADE CHICKEN CORIANDER STEW?

I am extremely fond of fresh coriander, it's aroma is one of my mood enhancers. I love to add it in this recipe and that. Earlier, I have cooked  chicken with fresh coriander paste, I have a blogpost about it too! In the past few months, I came across light chicken stew done with  soft chicken meat, various spices, fresh coriander paste. One of those reels is of my favourite Bollywood choreographer, film director, producer Farah, I like this talented girl, her struggle to reach this fame definitely involves talent, such versatile she is, I like her bubbly self! I wanted to prepare, blog about this non-vegetarian, gluten-free, lean meat curry COOKER MADE CHICKEN CORIANDER STEW with potatoes. I am not fond of using a pressure cooker, I believe it spoils the taste of food. However, it is useful for the working men and woman. It is good for boiling tough vegetables, also for making stews and soups.

Few Light Stew recipes from the Blog are EGG STEW, STEWED RICE, BEET GAJOR ALOO DIYE PATHAR MANGSHO!

INGREDIENTS :

CHICKEN : 1 KG [I USED KAMPONG / COUNTRY CHICKEN]

POTATO : 2

FRESH CORIANDER : 250 GM

PLAIN YOGURT : 50 GM

GREEN CHILLI : 7-8

SLICED ONION : 2

GARLIC PASTE : 2 TBSP

GINGER PASTE : 2 TSP

CUMIN POWDER : 1 TSP

CORIANDER POWDER : 1 TSP

TURMERIC POWDER : 1/2 + 1/2 TSP

LEMON JUICE : 4-5 TBSP

CRUSHED BLACK PEPPER : 1/2 TSP

BAY LEAF : 1

CINNAMON STICK : 2 ONE INCH SIZE

GREEN CARDAMOM : 2-3

BLACK CARDAMOM : 1

CLOVE : 3-4

SALT : AS REQUIRED

OIL : 2-3 TBSP

PROCEDURE :

Get the chicken cut from the vendor, small or medium, skin on or off as per your choice.

Wash the chicken pieces well, marinate with enough salt for an hour, wash again.

Marinate the chicken pieces with little salt, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, lemon juice. Keep aside for 40-45 minutes.

Wash and discard the root end of the fresh corianders, prepare a paste together with the plain yogurt, 4-5 green chillies.

Heat the oil in a pressure cooker, temper with a big black cardamom, green cardamom, cloves, cinnamon sticks, bay leaf.

Add the sliced and washed onions, fry until golden brown.

Add the ginger-garlic pastes, 1/2 tsp turmeric, salt, fry for 2-3 minutes.

Add the cumin and coriander powders, stir cook for a minute. Add the marinated chicken pieces.

Stir fry at minimal heat for 3-4 minutes, add 3-4 slitted, washed green chillies.

Loosely cover, cook until water starts releasing. 

Peel, cube, wash the potatoes, add to the chicken. 

Add the fresh coriander, green chillies, plain yogurt paste too. Mix well, add two coffee mugs of water, fold in well.

Close tight the pressure cooker lid, cook at minimal heat up to one whistle, switch off the gas stove. 

After 10-12 minutes, open the lid, enjoy it hot and fresh with steamed rice or roti!

TANGRA MACH ALOO EGGPLANT CURRY

 FOR LONG I DID NOT BLOG ABOUT A HOMELY BENGALI RECIPE!

I am craving to trust me, just not happening. These days, I do not have rice meals outside of home. I prefer having rice with family Bengali dishes. I have a couple of recipes to share from the family kitchen. What stops me may be the brother and his nephew's, our son's apathy towards rustic, homely food, be it Bengali or otherwise. The man would eat what appeals his tastebuds, he has no interest in food. My two sisters, the father-in-law, brother-in-law would eat normal Bengali Food. One of the two sisters, my brother's wife cooks well Dalia Khichuri, Chana Curry, I like. The mother-in-law is interested in big fleshy fish, hates vegetables, has no interest in the huge repertoire of rustic Bengali vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. If you want to have them, visit my mother's, the late maternal grandmother's, the father's side of the family living in various parts of Assam & Nadia district of West Bengal. My side of the family would get you unique recipes with "kharkol Pata, Shapla, Shaluk, Ol er Data, a variety of greens"!

I FEEL IRRITATED WHEN BENGALI FOOD IS IDENTIFIED WITH BIRYANI, MAHI POLAO, CHINGRIR MALAIKARI THESE DAYS!

It is such a dishonour to our granny's kitchen, the huge treasure trove of recipes they got from the other side of Bengal. I do not believe the original residents of West Bengal ate big prawns, bhetki fish, luchi, mohon bhog regular, that potato was the only vegetable they ate. My family doesn't consider potato a vegetable, its used as an enhancer in curries, in mixed vegetable dishes. What got pathetic with me is the unavailability of my kind of fresh sweet water fish in this island. I used to be a fish lover, I want supply of smaller varieties of sweet water fish, fresh, live. I have no interest in sea fish varieties. What to do? I would make fritters instead of fish curries with my rice plate.

I love fries & fritters / bhajabhuji / snacks with my tea / coffee or rice and dal.

WHAT IS TANGRA FISH ALOO EGGPLANT CURRY?

I rarely get this small fish variety fresh in this island's wet markets. When I see, I buy though it is difficult to cut the friskers with scissors, knives. The Bengali shops stock frozen fish packets, I do not buy except few varieties. On days I get my choice of sweet water / fresh water fish in the market, I would buy, clean, cut them, cook a choice of fish curry like this TANGRA MACH ALOO EGGPLANT CURRY. This non-vegetarian, gluten-free fish curry with rice would I enjoy having. 

Few other regular Bengali Recipes from the blog are FULKOPIR DATA PATA DIYE BHETKI, CABBAGE FRITTERS / BADHAKOPIR BORA, CHOLA NARKOL DIYE KOCHU SHAAKER GHONTO, MISHTI CHIREY BHAJA

INGREDIENTS : 

TANGRA MACH [SMALL FRESH WATER CAT FISH VARIETY] : 300-400 GM

POTATO : 1

EGGPLANT [SMALL] : 2

SLITTED GREEN CHILLI : 2

NIGELLA SEED / KALOJEEREY / KALONJI : 1/4 TSP

BAYLEAF : 1

TURMERIC POWDER : 1 TSP

RED CHILLI POWDER : 1 TSP

CUMIN POWDER : 1 TSP

CORIANDER POWDER : 1/2 TSP

SALT : AS REQUIRED

OIL : 3 TBSP

PROCEDURE :

Ask your vendor to clean the stomach of each fish, cut the friskers, tail end. This fish does not have scales. Wash them few times. Marinate with salt, turmeric.

Cut the potato, eggplants, lengthwise, thin. We need not peel the skin of the potato. Wash them, marinate with salt and turmeric.

Prepare a spice paste mixing together the remaining turmeric powder + red chilli powder + cumin powder + coriander powder + required amount of salt + 1 tbsp water.

Heat oil in a wok. Fry the potatoes, eggplants, Tangra fish, each variety  in batches, take out.

Temper the remaining oil with the bayleaf and nigella seeds. Give a stir, add the spice paste. Stir cook at low heat for 2-3 minutes. Add 1 coffee mug of water.

Bring the gravy to boil, add the fried potatoes and fried fish, also the washed & slitted green chillies. 

Simmer at low heat for 5-6 minutes, covered. 2-3 minutes before taking down, add the fried eggplants. Stir, take down!

Enjoy with steamed hot rice. We also had tomato-red lentils, mutton curry, cabbage-potato sabzi Bengali style on that day.

ALOO OATS CORIANDER TIKKI

A CHOICE OF SNACKS MAKES ME HAPPY!

I feel happier when food tastes better than expected. We have Bengali's Shyama Puja, Hindus' Diwali celebrations on 31st October, Halloween    is celebrated on the 31st of October. This is pretty challenging, which recipe to share? Bengalis would prefer hotchpotch with vegetables, puffed bread with halwa or mutton curry with pilaf. Diwali observants wouldn't even touch garlic, onion. I could have shared a sweet recipe that would perfectly suit the South Asians, then how can I ignore the Halloween observants? Our boy has affinity for skulls, skeletons ever since tween hood. I don't know why. Ghosts are usually friendly towards me, my family though I am extremely scared of them. We like some specific sweets, do not want them regular on our plate. We are aging, also tastebuds don't remain the same always. Then what to cook and share? Let us come to it later!

LOVING MEALS ARE SIMPLE IN OUR LIVES!

I cannot cook just for the blog share anymore, we must be able to eat what I cook. I dislike wastage of food, I do intermittent fasting, the man & Cristine eat minimal, the son left home few years back. Hence, I need to be tactical while planning and executing a recipe. I can't eat something I don't enjoy. Snacks I love, more ever since I have learnt to use minimal oil. Learn to cook your pakora using minimal oil, eat with less of guilt. 

However less I cook, there are leftovers. I have to manage them well, right? I made two small parathas from a leftover dough, served them with egg curry to the man. A snack added completed the meal plate, we cannot have a bird's diet, please. I had my meal with leftover rice. Last Saturday, I cooked my choice of dishes, my tummy is satiated. I am extremely occupied. Just now, had some electrical works done, I have to clean the dusty rooms now. It is Dipaboli after all, no corner of your homes should remain dark, mind it.

WHAT IS ALOO OATS CORIANDER TIKKI?

Now you all know I had little of paratha dough, little of cooked rice, lot of cooked food on a Sunday morning, a Kalipujo cum Diwali cum Halloween friendly recipe to share with my readers on Monday. What to share became a big question. I was sure it wouldn't be a sweet, we still have narus I made on Lakshmi Puja. Aloo is a love we have at home all the time, how harmful it is depends upon the amount of it's consumption, do not overeat anything, not only potato. I stock oats at home for these purposes, to use as an ingredient for snacks and sweets. I like overnight oats but I do not have breakfasts. This vegan, gluten-free, vegetarian snacks, starter ALOO OATS CORIANDER TIKKI tasted great. It was cooking without any effort, you give it to me everyday, I would have with my tea or coffee. I used only few spices, confidently can challenge Japanese potato croquettes, such bland the latter is. If you deep fry them, they would get a nice even brown finish, I preferred to go healthy.

Few Oats recipes from the blog are EASYMADE FRAGRANT SWEET, BANANA ORANGE OATS CAKE, OATS MATAR GREEN KEBAB.

INGREDIENTS :

POTATO : 2-3

OATS : 3-4 TBSP

CHOPPED CORIANDER : 3-4 TBSP

CHOPPED GREEN CHILLI : 1/2 TSP

RED CHILLI FLAKES : 1/4 TSP

CRUSHED BLACK PEPPER : 1/4 TSP

TANDOORI MASALA : 1/2 TSP

LEMON JUICE : 1 TBSP

SALT : AS REQUIRED

CHOPPED DRY FRUITS OF CHOICE : 1 TBSP [I USED RAISIN & WALNUT]

OIL : 1 TBSP

PROCEDURE :

Check the stepwise photos column wise!

I peeled the potatoes, cut each into 4 pieces, washed them. I took the potato pieces in a saucepan, added enough water and microwave cooked at low heat until they are boiled well.

I let the potatoes cool. I drained the water and mashed the potatoes. I added all of the ingredients except the oats to the boiled and mashed potatoes. I washed the chopped green chillies, fresh coriander leaves before adding.

I mashed well, added the oats. I folded in well, shaped as I wished.

I greased an oven proof plate with oil, placed the kebabs on it. Mine is a convection mode microwave oven. I placed the low height wired stool inside, atop it the oven proof plate.

I used the combination cooking method, grill+microwave; cooked one side for 15 minutes, the other side for 10 minutes. 

Serve and have them immediately with your choice of condiment.

KULAMBU SPICED OVEN COOKED FULKOPI

 I AM UNWELL SINCE THE MORNING!

I woke up with a blocked forehead and pain. I thought  my blood pressure may have gone up or down. Jokingly, I told the man, "if there is a sudden heart failure, you and the son would stay together, not far from each other." Though anyone can go through a heart failure any time, we have to stay healthy. Though I have lost weight, I am an overweight, I dislike heavy workouts. It is scary how my brother, his wife, some friends allow themselves to put on weight. I keep warning Bhai & son. Later in the day, my nose got blocked, I kept sneezing. I understood I have caught cold. Both of us feel that we had covid flu, may be it had low impact because of the vaccines and the boosters we have taken. Earlier Bengali Kids were fed mutton leg soup to strengthen immunity. The mother fed us regular. The man says Covid happened, we did not understand. On Lakshmi Puja day, I felt dehydrated in the evening. I was thirsty, had chilled water. Perhaps that is the reason I am unwell. We are managing our home well but we do not want to, we are used to a luxury called Cristine. I complain about the son not calling us enough, now can feel it is difficult to do all by himself after being pampered by mumma & Cristine didi until age 18. He had the courage to say goodbye to the safe, secured mumma's lap, step into an unknown land alone. Yet, I told him to set aside 1-2 hours every day for home cleaning. Even if I have fever tomorrow, I have to keep my home clean, I cannot sleep in a messy home. 

UNWELL, I DID SET A SIMPLE LUNCH BOX!

I prefer packing the lunch box. On the Lakshmi Puja day, I asked him to eat out. Yet, it took long hours to finish the puja. Separating the husk from the Khoi / popped rice, dressing and frying five varieties of vegetables take time. Kolkata sells de-husked one too at a higher price, I do get that. Feeling unwell, I made the quickest sandwich for the man, boiled potato in microwave, peeled mashed with butter, salt, black pepper powder, placed atop a bread slice with cheese.

In a hurry, I forgot to discard the bread edges. I make them eat food without much of wastage. Certain middle class values should be imbibed within us forever. Okay, licking fingers after meals is bad manners, I am helpless, I end my meals with a clean plate, lick my fingers. I made semolina toast for myself, I thought I clicked, now cannot find.

WHAT IS KULAMBU SPICED OVEN COOKED FULKOPI?

I was to share a Bengali tiny fish recipe of choice today. Something did not feel right about it. I had a cauliflower / fulkopi / gobi resting in the refrigerator, I forgot to bake it for the visiting friend last Saturday. I did a marination mainly with Kulambu Spice Mix, cooked this vegan, gluten-free, vegetarian appetiser, side dish using the microwave+grill option. I named it KULAMBU SPICED OVEN COOKED FULKOPI. It is time consuming but uses less of oil. We can call it healthy. I started to write late today, let me wrap up quickly. It is not a compulsion, I enjoy writing a blogpost in this era of "reels". I lack technical knowhow, also got busy watching son's activities in social media. Of course I am proud about the good things he is doing, it is natural.

Few other cauliflower recipes from the blog are; FULKOPIR DATA PATA DIYE SHUTKI, DIM FULKOPI CURRY, FULKOPI ALOO DIYE KOI MACH ER JHOL. 

INGREDIENTS :

CAULIFLOWER FLORET : OF ONE STANDARD SIZED

KULAMBU SPICE MIX : 1 TSP

CUMIN POWDER : 1/2 TSP

CORIANDER POWDER : 1/2 TSP

RED CHILLI POWDER : 1/4 TSP

TURMERIC POWDER : 1/2 TSP

LEMON JUICE : 2 TBSP +1 TBSP

SALT : AS REQUIRED

SUGAR : 1/2 TSP [YOU MAY SKIP]

CORNFLOUR : 1 TBSP

OIL : 2 TBSP

PROCEDURE :

Wash and soak the florets in hot water for half an hour. Drain the water.

Marinate with the spices, cornflower, salt, sugar, 2tbsp oil, keep at rest for an hour.

Grease a grill plate with few drops of oil, place the marinated cauliflower florets on it.

Mine is a convection mode microwave oven. I placed the low height wired stool inside the oven, place the grill plate on it.Close the door. 

I cooked at microwave+grill option for 20 minutes one side. Turned the cauliflower florets thereafter, cooked for 10 minutes.

Take out and have immediately if you are eating it as a starter, appetiser. I had to refrigerate. We would have it tomorrow with hand rolled bread. I can get you more of recipes if I am alive, it got pretty hot, but Kulambu mix is a wonder spice blend.

LIGHTLY SPICED PEAS RICE

 I AM TOO TIRED!

I must visit a Durga Puja venue each day of the occasion but don't like the idea of wearing sari, ornaments, travel to different venues. I mess with the attire, I sweat a lot. It irritates, more when I see the beauties around well kept. If RKM did it the traditional way as in Belur Math, I would have been there all four days, it is near to home. But I want to be with my family on such occasions. The man would not go inside a temple, neither the son. Since yesterday evening, I was thinking of sharing an old recipe from the blog with my readers. I was far from my much loved blog the past four days. How we managed home, attended our biggest festival we do not know. When we assist each other nothing seems a challenge. This would not be the case on Lakshmi Puja, he would not help with rituals, cooking. Today I was extremely busy cleaning my home, yet wished to share a new recipe.

YESTERDAY EVENING I COOKED AFTER FIVE DAYS!

We still have some food left that we would eat tonight. We cannot eat too many things in bigger quantity these days. I cooked"Luchi o Shada Aloor Chocchori"for our dinner last night, Priya's Mixed Vegetable Achar was there on the side. We love such meals. The son enjoys still I know, may be other Western Food are in the same league like Luchi for him now.

There was a little of dough left, not enough for the lunch box. I made four luchi made with it for my first meal. 

I cannot have roasted papad which I want deep fried, only sago papad I like oven roasted.  

Without the son around, without Cristine's assistance, we are managing our home well but as long as we are here, we would need Cristine.

WHAT IS LIGHTLY SPICED PEAS RICE?

My strong will to share a new recipe won over my tiredness. I thought of Oats Kachori, even Oats Balushahi. Those require effort to make, I am not high on energy at this time. I am not stocking much of food at this time, not required. I wished to share something related to Lakshmi Puja. I had some left over rice in the refrigerator, cooked a vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free rice dish; LIGHTLY SPICED PEAS RICE. I am to cook a traditional khichuri / hotchpotch platter on the occasion of Kojagori Lakshmi Puja. But an expat can be excused from cooking a traditional platter in a foreign land. What if few guests are non-Bengali speaking? I am trying to be liberal these days. 

Few other rice based recipes from my blog are these; MATAR DAL O BASMATIR KHICHURI, CHICKEN RICE IN MEMONI SPICE MIX, GHOROYA BANGALI POLAO

INGREDIENTS :

LONG GRAINED RICE : 1/2 COFFEE MUG

GREEN PEA : 4 TBSP

POMEGRANATE KERNEL : 1 TBSP

CASHEW NUT : 8-9 [HALVED]

CUMIN SEED : 1/4 TSP

CHILLI FLAKES : 1/4 TSP

CRUSHED BLACK PEPPER : 1/4 TSP

SALT : AS REQUIRED

SUGAR : 1/2 TSP [OPTIONAL]

OIL : 2 TBSP

PROCEDURE :

Wash the rice few times, cook in enough water until 70% done. Drain the water fully.

I have thrown away the skin of the green peas, you do not need to. 

Heat the oil in the wok, temper with cumin seeds. Add the cashew nuts, fry for half a minute, add the green peas.

Season with salt, crushed black pepper, red chilli flakes, stir.

Add the rice, gently fold in. Add more salt if only required.

We should be done. Pair it with a choice of side.

EASY ORANGE SPREAD

THAT CHILDHOOD LOVE CONTINUES!

Our tastebuds keep changing, my love for homemade jam, jelly, spread however continues. Eons back our mother made jam and jelly, also a bottle of Kissan's mixed fruit jam was stocked. We would spread it atop Cream Cracker, Mary Biscuits, no other biscuits were allowed. Later, Priya's butter biscuits, Good Day, Biskfarm's, Parle-G were allowed. I used to eat countless biscuits, today I don't fancy them. I want sugary toast biscuits I am not allowed to, better I quit. On this day, I prefer having organic jam I make at home, that amount of sugary stuff I allow myself once a week. I regret not making them often when the son was in school. He mostly had store bought jam, spread. I have mentioned earlier his earliest lunch box had luchi-jam roll, idli, Luchi-aloo bhaja. The man used to carry bread-butter or bread-jam in his lunch box while in school, had boiled eggs, fruits too. He doesn't want fruits, jam in the present day, love eggs. The son shifted his allegiance to cheese may be, neither my brother enjoys jam anymore. Till date I love jam, preserve, spread, jelly. I knew their difference but forgot.

BREAD-JAM-BUTTER SEEMS LIKE A DESSERT!

It seems to me a dessert ever since I was diagnosed with diabetes and desserts got restricted in my life. At home I stock jam and butter, I wish I could add whipping cream too. I do not keep fearing a spike in the blood sugar level. Cream Cakes I avoid having regular, similar to it is bread with butter and jam, I allow myself though not regular. I wish I could have "Bun Maska & Chai" every day. I can't digest milk tea but like. I mentioned earlier it is in 1997 December at Toshali Sands, Puri the man asked me to have the bread toast together with butter and jam, till date I enjoy it. He told he had seen American's eat like this, I see it is similar to Parsi "Bun Maska".

WHAT IS EASY ORANGE SPREAD?

I did not follow rules and regulations of making a spread or jam while doing a vegan, gluten-free condiment EASY ORANGE SPREAD. But it is organic made with fresh juicy oranges; Mandarin or Clementine I could not distinguish. They turned out to be sour. I was surprised, they are sweet in general. I cannot have sour fruits, made the easiest spread  using them. They were seedless, I did not even take out the skin. Some variety of citrus fruits' skins do not taste bitter. I tasted the skin, felt little of bitter tone would balance the sweetness of the spread.

I fear to add generous amount of butter, jam on toasts, I am a diabetic. Your kids would love generous servings. The stepwise pictures below would encourage you to make a fresh orange spread in less time. I was at the Far East Plaza today and enjoyed a Korean meal.

INGREDIENTS :

ANY ORANGE VARIETY : 5-6 [PREFERABLY SEEDLESS]

SUGAR : 6-7 TBSP

LEMON JUICE : 3-4 TBSP

ORANGE ESSENCE : 2-3 DROPS [I DID NOT USE, DO NOT LIKE ARTIFICIAL FLAVOURS]

PROCEDURE :

I cut the small sized oranges each into four pieces. I did not discard the skin. Only kept aside a little bit to add later.

I blended the cut oranges with skin into a paste. They were seedless.

I strained the fresh orange pulp, I was left with a bowl of fresh  juice.

I transferred it to a vessel with the sugar, put for boil on the gas oven.

It got simmered at minimal heat for 10-12 minutes. 

I added the lemon juice and the washed orange skin cut into strips.

It got simmered until thick and sticky.

Once cool, it is to be transferred to a sterilised jar. I always refrigerate.

LESS GHEE REFINED FLOUR HALWA

IT IS GOOD TO CLEAN YOUR HOME WITHOUT ANY HELP!

I dislike it though. Doing the cleaning job everyday by yourself means you sacrifice the liberty to go anywhere, at anytime of the day. That is impossible if you want your home to be well-kept. I like clean homes, in pursuit of that I had to sacrifice roaming around the island anytime of the day. Cristine is not there to take care of my home. I cannot do exercises properly that I do on the weekdays, I am doing them abruptly. Yet, the puffiness of my body has reduced a bit. That is the best thing about doing house chores on your own. You also get a grip of your home. In Cristine's presence, I hardly take care of my home, I only shop and cook. Every two years when she goes on leave, I throw this and that from one corner of the home or the other. I promise I would monitor even in her presence, once she comes back I dump my home in her care and go out to roam the city, watch movies, update my blog. Not that she keeps our home messy, I fail to give her clear instructions. I believe we should not be strict task masters, they leave their home to stay with us, we have to make them feel comfortable. With years, most importantly staying with the senior of the men, I have learnt we need be nice with our helps, treat them well. Our mother's helps worked for her over 20 years, they still visit her. Same is with the mother-in-law, she had been been even more lenient. 

I AM TRYING TO AVOID OVEREATING AT THIS TIME!

That is out of fear given I do not have time to go for long walks, swim enough. The root of the problem is the time management, I have got disorganised. Cristine gets us even the glass of water, medicines. This amount of luxury is bad, gives birth to laziness. The man hates cleaning jobs back from office, neither I ask him to do the chores. I can do everything but dislike ironing. There is already a big pile of clothes to be ironed, he has to. Cristine has to come back. You may criticise I have not taught the son anything, he has learnt after he left home. I am a Bengali mother, my heart aches, he has to do everything on his own even when he doesn't want. Yet I have asked him to keep his home clean, does not matter it is rented or self-owned. Keeping our home and surroundings clean is a necessity. 

WHAT IS LESS GHEE REFINED FLOUR HALWA?

I am cooking, clicking less. Taking care of my home is a priority now. I made this vegetarian dessert LESS GHEE REFINED FLOUR HALWA using half of ghee than what is recommended for traditional halwas. If you want to live more, follow this recipe. I would get you an oil or ghee free halwa, today accept this light on your stomach halwa, you won't get acidity after having it. Many Bengali families earlier had a dessert post dinner. In our family, it was warm cow milk boiled longer to get a thick cream atop. Both sugar, over boiled thick milk are harmful for us. Okay, calcium is required but there are other sources to get it. It took many years for my family to accept that hot milk post dinner is a wrong idea, more if meat is on menu. Cow's milk was considered auspicious among us, owning cow meant prosperity. The Grandparents, other relatives domesticated cow. If you use milk in the halwa dessert, it would get rich and tastier. I avoid using milk as much as possible if I want to have a large share.

Few similar recipes from the Blog are the following :

GULA MELACA PUDDING, ANAROSHER HALWA, MIXED FRUITS OATS HALWA. I have more in the blog.

INGREDIENTS :

REFINED FLOUR : 1 SMALL TEA CUP

GHEE / CLARIFIED BUTTER : 2 TBSP + 1 TBSP

SUGAR : 6-7 TBSP

GREEN CARDAMOM : 2-3

WATER : AS REQUIRED

ROASTED CHOPPED DRY FRUITS OF CHOICE

PROCEDURE :

Dissolve the sugar in a bowlful of hot water.

Heat 2 tbsp ghee in the wok, add the green cardamoms tearing them a bit, give a stir.

Add the refined flour, keep stirring & roasting at minimal heat.

Once the refined flour would change colour, gives out nice aroma, add the sugar-water.

My family only cooked semolina halwa, I do not know the rules about the way of adding water to avoid lumps.

I added the sugar-water, broke the lumps with ladle, hand beater would also help to get a smooth paste like consistency of halwa.

At this point, add 1 or 2 tbsp ghee, the roasted, chopped dry fruits. Mix well and enjoy warm.